by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 23, 2025 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
The FIFA Member Association (MA) Beach Soccer Referees Course has successfully concluded in Ada, Greater Accra Region, after four days of rigorous training aimed at raising the bar for officiating in Ghana.
Twenty-three referees, representing all 16 regions, underwent a demanding program that blended theoretical lessons with a fitness examination. The course focused on deepening their knowledge of the Laws of the Game and sharpening their decision-making skills on the sand.
Participants were selected for their consistent performances in recent seasons and are now poised to play a pivotal role in the ongoing 2025 Beach Soccer League. According to the Ghana Football Association, the initiative is part of a broader push to uphold fairness, safety, and professionalism in the fast-growing sport.
The 2025 Beach Soccer League, which began earlier this month, features 12 clubs divided into two groups, with the top teams from each group set to clash in a championship playoff.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 23, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, International, Nigeria, Soccer, World Cup
Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team, the Falconets, have pitched camp in Ibadan as they fine-tune preparations for their crucial 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Rwanda’s She-Amavubi.
Fresh from a 1-0 first-leg win in Kigali—secured by Alaba Olabiyi’s 70th-minute strike—the squad travelled directly from Rwanda on Monday and received a warm welcome from Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Wasilat Adegoke, on arrival at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba.
The return leg, set for Saturday at the same venue, will decide who advances to the next round of qualifiers. The Confederation of African Football has appointed Gambian referee Ngum Fatou to oversee the match, assisted by Jainaba Manneh and Abbie Ceesay, with Isatou Touray as fourth official. Liberia’s Jodie Marian Reid Seton will serve as match commissioner, while Egypt’s Hayam Mohammed Baraka takes on referee-assessor duties.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 23, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, International, Soccer, Uncategorized, World Cup
Cameroon’s final push for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket has run into an unexpected hurdle. The Indomitable Lions have formally asked FIFA and CAF to postpone their crucial Group D showdown with Angola, originally slated for October 12, because it falls on the same day as the country’s presidential elections.
The fixture, set for the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé, is now proposed for October 13, allowing security and logistics teams to focus on both the national vote and the high-stakes match.
Coach Marc Brys knows the odds are stacked against his side. Cameroon sit second in Group D, four points adrift of leaders Cape Verde with only two games remaining. To keep any hope of automatic qualification alive, the Lions must first beat Mauritius on October 6, then overcome Angola while praying for two Cape Verde stumbles. Failing that, Cameroon will aim to secure one of the coveted four playoff spots that offer a backdoor route to the World Cup.
The coming weeks promise drama both on the pitch and at the ballot box, as a nation watches its football dream and political future unfold in tandem.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 23, 2025 | AFCON, Africa, Ghana, Soccer
JS Kabylie striker Aymen Mahious has expressed unwavering confidence that Ghana’s Bibiani GoldStars will be unable to overturn their deficit when the sides meet for the second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round in Algeria.
The Algerian giants seized control of the tie with a commanding 2–0 victory at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, showcasing their pedigree and experience on the continental stage. Backed by a rich history that includes two CAF Champions League titles and 14 Algerian league crowns, JSK looked every bit the favourites against a GoldStars side making their debut in Africa’s premier club competition after winning their maiden Ghana Premier League title last season.
Mahious, who played a key role in the away win, acknowledged the Ghanaian champions’ quality but underlined the strength of his team at home. “We played against a good team and we won 2-0,” he told reporters. “In Algeria it will be difficult for them because we already have the advantage. Inshallah, we will make the game easy and qualify.”
The decisive return fixture is set for Sunday, September 28, at the Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium. GoldStars need at least two unanswered goals to force extra time, while a draw or any result in JSK’s favour will see the Algerian heavyweights march into the next round of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League.
by Emmanuel Atanga | Sep 23, 2025 | Africa, International, Soccer, World Cup
South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has unveiled a formidable preliminary squad as Bafana Bafana prepare for two decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
The 1996 Africa Cup of Nations winners will first welcome Zimbabwe to the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday, October 10 at 3 p.m., before hosting Rwanda four days later at Mbombela Stadium with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Victory in both games would all but seal South Africa’s place at next year’s global showpiece—even if FIFA enforces a possible three-point deduction and a 3-0 forfeit stemming from its investigation into the eligibility of midfielder Teboho Mokoena during the March win over Lesotho.
Broos, who has announced this will be his final campaign in charge, is determined to leave on a high. His squad retains the core of the 23 players who recently defeated Lesotho and held Nigeria to a draw in Bloemfontein, while also welcoming back midfielder Sphephelo Sithole, making his first return since South Africa’s third-place finish at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Bafana Bafana currently top Group C with 17 points, ahead of Benin Republic on 14 and Nigeria’s Super Eagles on 11, setting the stage for a tense finish to the qualifiers.
